Schoolgirl hockey: Scarborough shuts out Greely

SACO — The Scarborough girls’ hockey team moves the puck like they’ve been practicing forever.

“That’s because it’s been drilled in us forever,” said Red Storm goalie Devan Kane.

From her vantage point, Kane could watch her teammates take off down the ice and toward the goal.

Scarborough showed why it is the state’s only unbeaten team with a 3-0 victory over Greely at the MHG Ice Centre on Wednesday night.

Sami Shoebottom scored two goals and Alyssa Hulst had two assists to lead the Red Storm (13-0). Riley McKeown scored the other goal.

Greely, the two-time defending state champion, dropped to 8-3.

This was the first meeting between the two programs since last year’s state final, won by the Rangers 1-0 in overtime.

“This just meant a lot,” said Kane, who stopped 16 shots.

Greely freshman goalie Nica Todd played outstanding, making 27 saves.

“She rocked,” Scarborough Coach Caitlin Cashman said.

Greely Coach Nate Guerin agreed, saying, “this was the most she’s been tested and the strongest she’s played.”

Todd faced a constant attack as the Red Storm rolled out two lines, fueled by heads-up defensemen.

“They’re excellent,” Guerin said. “Obviously very skilled, deep. They have girls who are dangerous, certainly more than we do.”

It began with the defenseman zipping the puck up and the lines taking it from there.

“(Breakouts) is one of the things we’ve practiced the most,” Cashman said. “Today was our best-looking breakout.”

And once the forwards got the puck, the shots kept coming. Shoebottom’s line with Elizabeth Gross and Cara Reynolds, and Hulst’s line with Kristen Murray and Rachael Wallace, continually kept the puck in the Rangers’ zone.

But Greely did have its chances, especially with the line including Danita Storey and Maura Perry, with defenseman Ellie Schad often cheating up. But Storey was the focus of the Red Storm.

“We know that (Storey) can move the puck really well,” Cashman said. “We just told our defensemen that you have to keep her wide and you have to poke-check because she’s got wheels.”

McKeown, Brenna Kent, Lily Nygren and Jenna Block kept most of the shots at an angle. And they cleaned up any rebounds.

Todd kept the Rangers in it, along with defensemen Maura Verrill, Erin Molloy and Sarah Johnson, who deflected a lot of shots from the Red Storm.

Scarborough finally broke through at 10:27 into the first period. Shoebottom redirected Gross’ shot in. Reynolds also got an assist.

Near the end of the first period, Storey got free for a slap shot from the high slot, but Kane was there.

To start the second period, Hulst had a breakaway but Todd made the stop.

Later, Hulst scooped up a loose puck, skated up the right side and crossed to Shoebottom, who buried it for a 2-0 lead at 8:36.

McKeown made it 3-0 with her wrister past an obstructed Todd at 6:52 of the third period.

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